Pre Season Friendly

Saturday 30th June 2018

Kick Off 13.45 Actual 13.53

Ash United 1 Wokingham & Emmbrook 3,  attendance 42

12’ 0-1

52’ 1-1

76’ 1-2

77’ 1-3

@ Ash Manor School, 3G Pitch

Manor Road

Ash

GU12 6QH

No Admission or Programme.

This was played at a decent pace considering it was played in 28 degree heat and it was little surprise that there was a drinks break in each half. Ash are in Combined Counties League Division 1, whilst Wokingham & Emmbrook play at the same level of the Pyramid, but in Hellenic League Division 1 East. It looked to be heading for a draw until two quick fire goals in the last quarter of an hour won it for the visitors.

Khalsa Football Federation

Leicester Tournament

Division 1

Semi Final

Saturday 23rd June 2018

Kick Off 14.45 Actual 14.53

Meltis Bedford 5 Sikh Hunters 2,  attendance 69

21’ 1-0

59’ 1-1

71’ 2-1

75’ 3-1

82’ 3-2

84’ 4-2

90’ 5-2

@ Aylestone Playing Field (APF First Field), Pitch 3

Braunstone Lane East

Leicester

LE3 2DG

No Admission

Tournament Programme, free, 72 pages.

This was the pick of the two semi finals in this section. Bedford had won the Walsall Tournament a month ago, whilst I had seen Sikh Hunters ease through to the Birmingham Tournament Final a fortnight ago.

After the second mass brawl of the match, each team had a man sent off, but within minutes Sikh Hunters levelled it up at 1-1 just before the hour mark. Bedford edged back in front and ran out comfortable winners in the end.

I had planned to do a fifth match today, which was scheduled to be on Pitch 4 (Pitch taken out of use due to being in poor condition and cracked, due to the dry weather), but it was moved to Pitch 8, which I had done earlier. I could have done a match on the main GNG pitch instead, but decided to leave that for a Leicestershire Senior League match, especially as the ground is floodlit, so ideal for a midweek trip.

Khalsa Football Federation

Leicester Tournament

Premier Division

1st Round

Saturday 23rd June 2018

Kick Off 12.30 Actual 12.48

Shere Punjab Birmingham 1 Singh Sabha Barking 7,  attendance 22

10’ 0-1

15’ 1-1

20’ 1-2

23’ 1-3

25’ 1-4

26’ 1-5 (pen)

32’ 1-6

63’ 1-7

@ Aylestone Playing Field (APF Third Field), Pitch 8

Braunstone Lane East

Leicester

LE3 2DG

No Admission

Tournament Programme, free, 72 pages.

This started off pretty even, but four goals midway through the half wrapped it up for Barking. The second half was awful, but thankfully the Referee blew the full time whistle a few minutes early, which was a relief for everyone !

Khalsa Football Federation

Leicester Tournament

Division 1

1st Round

Saturday 23rd June 2018

Kick Off 10.45 Actual 10.46

Shere Punjab Wolves 3 Punjab United Derby 2,  attendance 13

7’ 0-1

41’ 1-1

49’ 1-2

53’ 2-2

90’ + 2, 3-2

@ Aylestone Playing Field (APF Third Field) Pitch 7

Braunstone Lane East

Leicester

LE3 2DG

No Admission

Tournament Programme, free, 72 pages.

Another tight match, but of a higher standard than the earlier match. A couple of minutes after levelling it up at 2-2, Wolves missed a penalty and it looked like this would be heading for another penalty shoot out, but they managed to nick a winner in stoppage time.

Khalsa Football Federation

Leicester Tournament

Division 2

Quarter Final

Saturday 23rd June 2018

Kick Off  09.00. On Time !

F.C. Punjab Sandwell 1 Portway 1 (1-3 pens),  attendance 7

9’ 1-0

55’ 1-1

@ Aylestone Playing Fields, (APF Second Field) Pitch 5

Braunstone Lane East

Leicester

LE3 2DG

No Admission

Tournament Programme, free, 72 pages.

Having enjoyed my first taste of a Khalsa Tournament in Birmingham two weeks ago, I decided to spend a day at the Leicester Tournament today. Unfortunately, the organisation here was somewhat lacking to that in Birmingham, with the tournament website not having been updated  for over two weeks. Luckily, the Facebook page of F.C. GNG, who were hosting the event, did at least have the draw for the first set of matches in each section, but no kick off times or pitch allocations, so it was a case of turn up and see how the day would pan out.

For today, there would be 8 pitches in use, the main ground of Leicestershire Senior League team F.C. GNG (1) plus their adjacent 3G pitch (2), whilst over the road, there would be 6 pitches on Aylestone Playing Field (3-8).

The first match, in Division 2, was not of the greatest quality and it was little surprise that it took penalties to decide it. Sandwell managed to miss their first three efforts, which just about summed it up, with Portway scoring three of their four to advance to the Semi Final.

France

Coupe de France 1st Round

Sunday 17th June 2018

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.02

Jeunesse Sportive Cambron 3 L’ Auxiloise 2,  attendance 61

20’ 1-0

26’ 1-1

43’ 2-1

45’ 2-2

73’ 3-2

@ Stade Municipal

Rue Du Stade

80132 Cambron

€3 Admission

No Programme.

Nowadays, I record my matches seen by calendar year, (watching football worldwide means too many overlaps in when a season will start/end) rather than by which season they are in, but if I was indeed doing it by traditional dates for seasons, then this would be my earliest start for a competitive match.

Cambron is in the Haut-De-France region of the country, being around 70 miles south of Calais. Although it is little more than an hours drive from The Tunnel, it means taking the toll road for the last 50 miles of the journey, from Boulogne down to Abbeville, which costs €8.20 each way, but it probably cuts the journey time by half.

As for the match, Cambron took the lead against the run of play, but probably just about shaded it in the end. It may have been a different story if Auxiloise had managed to get themselves in front, but it wasn’t to be.

As usual, The Tunnel was in chaos. Our booked 09.48 departure left 17 minutes late, despite being very quiet at the terminal. We had booked the 19.50 for our return, just in case there was extra time and penalties at the match, but having arrived back at check-in at 18.05 we were offered a place on the 19.20 crossing…..which didn’t leave until 19.31 !

Below photo : Cambron open the scoring.

Khalsa Football Federation

Birmingham Tournament

Premier Division Semi Final

Sunday 10th June 2018

Kick Off 11.00 Actual 11.02

Singh Brothers Derby 5 Azaad Sports 0,  attendance 65

11’ 1-0

15’ 2-0

56’ 3-0

60’ 4-0

71’ 5-0

@ Aston University Recreation Centre, Pitch 6

Birmingham Road

Walsall

B43 7AJ

No Admission

Tournament Programme, free, 28 pages.

Having arrived for the 09.00 start of today’s action, I was lucky to be able to ‘tick off’ the two pitches that I required from those that were being used, for matches that would follow in the scheduling, so there would be no hanging around.

For the third time, I would end up watching the very impressive Singh Brothers Derby, as they easily swept aside the challenge of Azaad Sports. Things could have been so different though. At 2-0, Azaad had a penalty, but the ‘effort’ was pathetically put wide of the posts and from the restart, Singh Brothers went straight down the other end and made it 3-0 and game over.

Khalsa Football Federation

Birmingham Tournament

Division 1 Semi Final

Sunday 10th June 2018

Kick Off 09.00 Actual 09.04

Sikh Hunters 4 Nuneaton 1,  attendance 25

22’ 1-0

35’ 2-0

42’ 3-0

64’ 4-0

68’ 4-1

@ Aston University Recreation Centre, Pitch 1

Birmingham Road

Walsall

B43 7AJ

No Admission

Tournament Programme, free, 28 pages.

For the matches yesterday, it was easier to plan the choice of matches, as the schedule for the first couple of rounds were posted on the tournament website on Friday evening. Today, it would be a case of turn up and hope for the best, as there was no update, although I did know matches were scheduled for 09.00, 11.00, 13.30 and 15.30, but just wouldn’t know who would play who, or which pitches they would be on. As I still needed Pitch Nos 1,2 and 6 at Aston University and Pitch 7 (the 3G Pitch) at the Wolverhampton University Walsall Campus, I decided to make the trip north again and aim to arrive in time for the 09.00 start and see how it went.

As it turned out, the Youth Tournament  was held on Pitches 2-5 at Aston University, with the Over 35’s Veterans playing on the two pitches at the Wolverhampton University Walsall Campus. So, this left Pitch 1 and 6 here at Aston University to host the conclusion of the main tournament and luckily, for me, I hadn’t watched a match on either of these yesterday!

This was very familiar territory for Sikh Hunters, as this is the pitch that they have played on this season in winning Division 2 of the West Midlands (Regional) League. They coasted through to the final, wrapping the game up by halftime.

Khalsa Football Federation

Birmingham Tournament

Premier Division Quarter Final

Saturday 9th June 2018

Kick Off 16.45 Actual 16.53

Singh Brothers Derby 2 Punjab United Wolves 0,  attendance 40

37’ 1-0

62’ 2-0

@ Aston University Recreation Centre, Pitch 3

Birmingham Road

Walsall

B43 7AJ

No Admission

Tournament Programme, free, 28 pages.

I had been impressed by Singh Brothers earlier in the day, so decided on this match from the Premier Division Quarter Finals for my fourth and final match of the day.

The quality was still there, but both teams looked tired, which is pretty much to be expected with this being their second match in a matter of hours. Singh Brothers edged in front late in the first half before a superb free kick was curled in from 25 yards to seal it for them.